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11 Awesome Sleep Books for New Parents

Navigating parenthood—whether it’s your first time or your fifth—is not without its share of challenges. And perhaps one of the biggest struggles you’ll face early on relates to your child’s sleep habits. What do you do as an exhausted new parent when your bundle of joy just refuses to snooze? That’s the situation for one couple we know, whose 11-week-old babe cries and fusses for hours on end, with no chance of sleep in sight. So we turned to our community on Facebook and Twitter to ask: Which books are the best for getting advice about sleep?

Here are the go-to sleep books our readers swear by to help their little ones get some rest. What book would you recommend?

By Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Secrets-Baby-Whisperer-How-Calm-Tracy-Hogg-Melinda-Blau/9780345479099-item.html?ikwid=secrets+of+the+baby+whisperer&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Ann Douglas. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sleep-Solutions-Your-Baby-Toddler-Ann-Douglas/9780470836330-item.html?ikwid=sleep+solutions&ikwsec=Home" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Polly Moore. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/minute-Baby-Sleep-Program-Follow-Polly-Moore/9780761143116-item.html?ikwid=90-minute+baby+sleep+program&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By William Sears, M.D. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Baby-Book-Everything-You-Need-Sears-M-d/9780316778008-item.html?ikwid=baby+book+sears&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

The Baby Book (<a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316778008.htm" target="_blank">Little, Brown and Company</a>, $24)

By Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Baby-Whisperer-Solves-All-Your-Tracy-Hogg-Melinda-Blau/9780743488945-item.html?ikwid=baby+whisperer+solves+all+your+problems&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Harvey Karp. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Happiest-Baby-on-the-Block-The-New-Way-to-Calm-Crying-and-Help-Your-Newborn-Baby-Sleep-Longer/9780553381467-item.html?ref=item_page:richrel" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

The Happiest Baby on the Block (<a href="http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553381467" target="_blank">Bantam</a>, $17)

By Jennifer Waldburger and Jill Spivack. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sleepeasy-Solution-Exhausted-Parents-Guide-Jill-Spivack-Jennifer-Waldburger/9780757305603-item.html?ikwid=sleepeasy+solution&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Penelope Leach. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Your-Baby-And-Child-Penelope-Leach/9780375712036-item.html?ikwid=penelope+leach&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Kim West with Joanne Kenen. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sleep-Ladys-Good-Night-Sleep-Kim-West-Joanne-Kenen/9781593155582-item.html?ikwid=good+night+sleep+tight&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

By Elizabeth Pantley. Available at <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/No-Cry-Sleep-Solution-Gentle-Elizabeth-Pantley/9780071381390-item.html?ikwid=no-cry+sleep+solution&ikwsec=Books" target="_blank">chapters.ca</a>.

One response to “11 Awesome Sleep Books for New Parents”

Happy Sleep Habits Happy Child is a TERRRIBLE book. I read the book because while I was pregnant so that I would be ready when my baby was born. The idea of letting my baby cry to “teach them to sleep” seemed ok… that was until I had my baby. There is a natural instinct that mothers have that makes us VERY uncomfortable when baby cries. There is a BIOLOGICAL reason for that.. they are crying because they NEED us… not because they are MANIPULATING us. First off.. its easy to miss the part about DO NOT STARTING SLEEP TRAINING untill AFTER 6 months ( this a RULE by Dr. Weisbluth and Ferber). The book also endorses unlimited crying through the night. That is the most horrible advice to give new parents… I was up at 3am with my little guy and he was fed, dry, and burped so why was he crying…I was angry “why wont you just go to sleep”. Then I had a change in perspective.. I thought what if he’s not saying “I wont go to sleep mom too bad” what if he was trying to say “mom, I really want to sleep but something hurts, or I am lonely, or I want to snuggle” and I went from angry mom to comforting mom and in an instant I was ok with being up at 3am with my baby. It wasn’t until the next morning that I discovered he was teething.. and was in pain. Imagine if I had let him cry it out… sure he would have fallen asleep eventually, after giving in to sheer exhaustion and giving up on anyone coming in to help him. Thank god I didn’t do it.

For those who think its ok to use CIO.. They may be fed, burped and dry but you don’t know how they feel.. are they scared, lonely, or in pain??? Ask yourself that while you listen to them scream. Do you really want to teach your baby that when they call for you and need you, you wont come if they are supposed to be sleeping. A child sleeping through the night is the exception, not the norm. Also I would ask parents to think about this.. how would you feel after 1hr or more of screaming?? At the very least you would be thirsty, tired and have a sore throat… and you want to do that to your baby??? Listen to your instincts.. if it feels wrong it is wrong! Pick up the No Cry Sleep solution or any of Dr.Sears Books on parenting.. they will serve you much better.